Attitude – Page 3 – Peninim on the Torah

ומעץ הדעת טוב ורע לא תאכל ממנו

But of the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Bad, you must not eat thereof. (2:17)

Adam Ha’Rishon was the yetzir kapav shel HaKadosh Baruch Hu, formed and created by Hashem. Yet, he sinned. He had one single mitzvah – not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. He could not withstand the temptation, however, and he sinned. We have 613 mitzvos and are commanded to observe them all. Obviously, a disparity exists between us and Adam. Adam did not have a yetzer hora, evil inclination – nothing to provoke him to commit anything negative; yet, he sinned. In his Moreh Nevuchim, Rambam posits that by sinning, Adam gained his greatest glory: the faculty of bechirah…

Home -> V'zos HaBrachah -> 5786

ולזבולון אמר שמח זבולון בצאתך ויששכר באהליך

Sruly Schnair In 5786, V'zos HaBrachah

To Zevulun, he said: Zevulun, rejoice in your going out; and Yissachar, in your tents. (33:18)

Apparently, Moshe Rabbeinu’s preferred style for conferring blessing differed from that of Yaakov Avinu. Our Patriarch showered his sons with long, flowery blessings. Moshe, on the other hand, sufficed with brevity. Yaakov’s blessing to Dan consisted of two pesukim, while Moshe’s a mere five words. Zevulun and Yissachar’s blessing from the Patriarch was a litany of three pesukim. Moshe’s blessing to Zevulun was not short, but the blessing he conferred upon Yissachar was a single word: B’ahalecha, “(You shall rejoice) in your tents.” On the surface we may suggest that Yaakov was addressing his sons. Thus, he did not rush…

Home -> Ha'azinu -> 5786

ויבא משה וידבר את כל דברי השירה הזאת... הוא והושע בן נון

Sruly Schnair In 5786, Ha'azinu

Moshe came and spoke all the words of this Song… he and Hoshea bin Nun. (32:44)

While it was only Moshe Rabbeinu who proclaimed the Song, on the last day of his life he stood with Yehoshua, his worthy successor, to symbolize the transfer of leadership. Otherwise, cynics might belittle Yehoshua’s qualifications for leadership, saying that, as long as Moshe was alive, Yehoshua was afraid to lift his head. Actually, it was not Yehoshua who was different – it was the nation that was about to enter Eretz Yisrael that was different. The nation that left Egypt and journeyed for forty years in the Wilderness was melumad b’nissim, used to miracles. They were entering a land…

Home -> 5785 -> Nitzavim

אתם נצבים היום כלכם לפני ד'

Sruly Schnair In Nitzavim, 5785

You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem. (29:9)

Rashi cites Chazal (Tanchuma 1), who explain the juxtaposition of Nitzavim upon Parashas Ki Savo. When the people heard the frightening litany of the ninety-eight curses which comprised the (second) Tochachah, Admonition, they turned colors from fright at what appeared to them to be a limited likelihood of a positive future. Moshe Rabbeinu told them: You are all here today, despite having angered Hashem a number of times. Horav Yaakov Neiman, zl, explains that the Torah’s wording, nitzavim kulchem, standing/all of you, is deliberate and profound. It does not merely state that the Jewish people stood before Hashem – it…

Home -> 5785 -> Re'eh

כי יסיתך אחיך ... לאמר נלכה ונעבדה אלהים אחרים... לא תאבה לו, ולא תשמע אליו, ולא תחוס עינך עליו, ולא תחמל, ולא תכסה עליו.

Sruly Schnair In Re'eh, 5785

let us go and worship the gods of(If your brother will entice you secretly… saying “others” … you shall not accede to him, and not hearken to him, and your eye shall not take pity on him, you shall not compromise nor conceal him. (13:7–9)

The Torah singles out the meisis – person who entices others to idolatrous worship – for particularly severe treatment, as befits a sin of this egregious nature. Such a person poses a profound threat to the spiritual fabric of Klal Yisrael. His actions are much more than a personal transgression, but rather, an unpardonable assault on the collective faith and identity of the Jewish people. The punishment meted out to the meisis underscores the importance of maintaining the purity of faith within the Jewish community and how we abhor anyone who would dare undermine the status quo. The laws that…

Home -> 5785 -> Re'eh

שבעת ימים תחג לה׳ אלקיך ... והיית אך שמח

Sruly Schnair In Re'eh, 5785

A seven-day period shall you celebrate to Hashem, your G-d…. And you will be completely joyous (16:15)

Rashi comments that v’hayisa ach sameach is not a command, but rather, a promise that we will fulfill the mitzvos of celebrating the festival amid joy. Chazal (Pesachim 71A) derive from here that the joy inherent in our celebration of the festival applies to the last night as well. The commentators question how ach, which in Hebrew is used to exclude, is used in this context to include the last night of the Yom Tov for joyful celebration. Throughout Shas, however, the word is used to exclude. In a homily rendered following the Holocaust which decimated European Jewry, HoRav Shmuel…

Home -> 5785 -> Va'eschanan

ואהבת את ד' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך

Sruly Schnair In Va'eschanan, 5785

You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources. (6:5)

The Sifri (Parsha 32) comments, Ahaveihu al ha’brios k’Avraham… “Make Him beloved by people as Avraham Avinu did.” Our Patriarch was not satisfied merely with his relationship with Hashem. He wanted everyone in the world to have such a relationship with the Almighty. He taught the world about its Creator because he wanted them to love Hashem and observe His precepts. This idea of reaching out to others, bringing them closer to Hashem is echoed by Rambam (Sefer Hamitzvos 3 and Sefer HaChinuch 418). A Jew who loves Hashem cannot remain at ease while others are distant from Him. His…

Home -> Devarim -> 5785

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Devarim

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael. (1:1)

Moshe Rabbeinu opens Sefer Devarim with words of rebuke. For forty years, he had been their leader, but it was now, shortly before he was to leave this world, that he chose rebuke as his parting words. We derive from here that rebuke should be well-thought out and delivered at a time when the rebuker feels it will be accepted. We do not reproach out of anger, but out of love and caring. We neither waste words, nor do we mince words. We say what must be said, even if being brutally honest may have backlash. Moshe chose his last…

Home -> Matos -> 5785

ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן ולבני גד

Sruly Schnair In 5785, Matos

The Tribes Reuven and Gad had an extremely large amount of cattle. (32:1)

Chazal (Bamidbar Rabbah 22:6) underscore the good fortune of one who acquires any one of these G-d-given precious gifts: wisdom, strength and/or wealth. This idea, say Chazal, applies only if one receives these gifts from Hashem. If, however, he receives these gifts from human beings – they have no value. Chazal continue: two wise people – one Jewish, one gentile, Achitofel and Bilaam –were both lost; two well-known strong men who did not endure – Shimshon and Golias – one Jewish, one gentile. Two men of great wealth — Korach and Haman – neither made it. Why were these men…

Home -> 5785 -> Korach

ונתתם ממנו את תרומת ד' לאהרן הכהן

Sruly Schnair In Korach, 5785

And you shall give from it a gift of Hashem to Aharon HaKohen. (18:28)

Chazal (Sanhedrin 90b) prove from the above pasuk that Techiyas Ha’Meisim, the Resurrection of the Dead, is supported min haTorah. The Torah enjoins the people to give their Terumah to Aharon HaKohen. Will Aharon live forever? He did not even enter into the Holy Land. This teaches us that he will one day be resurrected, and Klal Yisrael will again give him their Terumah. In Kovetz Maamarim (Onsham shel baalei middos megunos), Horav Elchonon Wasserman, zl, cites Chazal (Kesubos 111b) who teach that Techiyas Ha’Meisim has one criterion that should not be ignored. Unless one studies/has studied Torah or supported…

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ומעץ הדעת טוב ורע לא תאכל ממנו

But of the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Bad, you must not eat thereof. (2:17)

ולזבולון אמר שמח זבולון בצאתך ויששכר באהליך

To Zevulun, he said: Zevulun, rejoice in your going out; and Yissachar, in your tents. (33:18)

ויבא משה וידבר את כל דברי השירה הזאת... הוא והושע בן נון

Moshe came and spoke all the words of this Song… he and Hoshea bin Nun. (32:44)

אתם נצבים היום כלכם לפני ד'

You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem. (29:9)

כי יסיתך אחיך ... לאמר נלכה ונעבדה אלהים אחרים... לא תאבה לו, ולא תשמע אליו, ולא תחוס עינך עליו, ולא תחמל, ולא תכסה עליו.

let us go and worship the gods of(If your brother will entice you secretly… saying “others” … you shall not accede to him, and not hearken to him, and your eye shall not take pity on him, you shall not compromise nor conceal him. (13:7–9)

שבעת ימים תחג לה׳ אלקיך ... והיית אך שמח

A seven-day period shall you celebrate to Hashem, your G-d…. And you will be completely joyous (16:15)

ואהבת את ד' אלקיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך

You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources. (6:5)

אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל

These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael. (1:1)

ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן ולבני גד

The Tribes Reuven and Gad had an extremely large amount of cattle. (32:1)

ונתתם ממנו את תרומת ד' לאהרן הכהן

And you shall give from it a gift of Hashem to Aharon HaKohen. (18:28)

YEARS

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